Hannah French, the England hockey star, has expressed her gratitude towards the team's medical staff after recovering from a significant injury. The 31-year-old athlete faced a challenging journey, having ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) last November, which initially sidelined her from competing in the upcoming Hockey World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands later this month.

Through sheer determination and a rigorous rehabilitation process, French has secured her spot in David Ralph's 20-woman squad for the finals. Reflecting on her recovery, she stated, "It's definitely been a rollercoaster, but I am so fortunate that I've had all the support and help along with my journey - and I've had that World Cup goal to aim for," during an interview with BBC Radio Suffolk.

The timeline of her recovery has been notably swift, with French returning to competitive form just eight and a half months after her injury. She acknowledged the critical role of her support team, saying, "Having those people beside you, to support you and keep pushing you forward, is the reason why I am here, there's no two ways about it."

French, who previously won gold with England at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, heads into her third World Cup as one of England’s key players. Currently ranked seventh in the world, England faces tough competition in their pool, including China (ranked fourth), India, and South Africa, with their first match set for Sunday, 16 August.

On any day, we can beat any team,